Article Abstract:
Kidney transplants from living, unrelated donors may become an important source of transplant organs. Currently few kidneys are donated by living, unrelated donors, such as spouses. However, a 1995 study found that 3-year survival rates of a kidney transplanted from a living, unrelated donor may be almost as high as survival rates of kidneys from related donors and higher than survival rates of kidneys from cadavers. Kidney survival rates were 85% from spouses, 81% from other living, unrelated donors, 90% for tissue-matched siblings, and 70% for cadaveric kidneys. This appears to be at least partly because some kidneys coming from cadavers are damaged. Donations motivated by love and generosity should be encouraged despite the potential dangers of coercion.
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Article Abstract:
Physicians at the University of Chicago propose a pilot study to determine if paired-kidney exchange will increase the number of people with end-stage kidney disease who receive a suitable kidney for transplant. Many of these patients cannot find suitable donors because of tissue incompatibility. In a paired-kidney exchange, a patient's family member would donate a kidney to another patient, while that patient's family member would donate a kidney to the original patient. Donors and recipients would still have to be matched. It is important that all donations be voluntary and that patient confidentiality be maintained.
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Article Abstract:
Scientists are attempting to find biological markers of transplant rejection that can be measured in blood or urine samples. This would eliminate the need for a biopsy and might also allow doctors to detect transplant rejection in its early stages when it can be more easily treated. Two such markers are perforin and granzyme B, which are produced by T cells and killer cells.
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